


Anticipations on the other line

by ZiraFell



Series: Malec Fix-its [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 3x17 coda, 3x17 spoilers, Fix-It of Sorts, Hurt/Comfort, I basically extended the episode, Just to tide us over until next week, M/M, Marriage Proposal, and added some more angst before I fixed it with fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 05:49:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18404378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiraFell/pseuds/ZiraFell
Summary: 3x17 left me wounded and since screaming into the void isn't helping, I figured I'd write this instead. This is basically me going '@ SH Writers, turn on your location. I just want to talk, I swear'AKAWhat happened after Magnus broke down?





	Anticipations on the other line

**Author's Note:**

> Not Beta'd, Title is from The Calendar by Panic! at the Disco.

The roses, the candles, the meal. Everything had been perfect.

Except the one thing that really mattered.

Alec knew he couldn't fully understand, that he would never fully understand, what it was like for a warlock to lose their magic. To have their life expectancy suddenly shortened by decades, centuries, or eons. He would never understand how it felt to have his magic stripped from him.

But to see the man he loved, once so confident and happy, torn down as each day passed without magic, was unacceptable. 

He held Magnus for a long time, though they eventually moved to Alec's room.

Magnus hadn't stopped sobbing, and he didn't protest when Alec left him gently on the bed. He changed into softer pajamas, and brought a pair over for Magnus. Magnus didn't fight him, just laid there limply and let Alec manipulate his limbs into the new clothes. The tears running down Magnus's face left him red and Alec pulled him close, tucking them both under the comforter. Magnus threw his arms around Alec, muffling his cries into Alec collarbone.

Magnus's miserable sobs tore at his heart, and once he quieted to strained sniffles and the occasional huff, Alec pulled back.

Magnus's eyes stared back at him, swollen and sad. 

"I want to go home, Alexander." Magnus whispered, like he was afraid that talking too loud would break the tentative bubble they were in. "But I don't even have a home anymore."

His voice cracked on the last syllable, and Alec pulled his hand up to Magnus's cheek to wipe away the tears.

"You'll always have a home with me." 

Magnus let out another broken sob before calming himself again.

"But I'm nothing! I'm no one, Alexander! I have nothing to offer anymore. All my powers are gone, I have nowhere to live, and I-…I'm not the man you fell in love with, anymore. I'll never be that man again."

Magnus scrubbed roughly at his face, and Alec pulled him closer.

"Magnus, listen to me. I didn't fall in love with your magic, or your loft, or even your looks. I fell in love with you. I fell in love with the way you smile, and the way your eyes light up when you dance. I fell in love with your compassion, your intelligence, and your determination. I fell in love with the way you laugh, and the way that you look at me. Magnus, if I want you to get your magic back, it's only because I know what that means to you. I could go the rest of my life without your powers as long as I have you." Alec insisted, wishing he could make Magnus believe him.

Magnus sighed and looked up to stare at the ceiling.

"What if I'm like this forever? Sad and…broken."

"You're not broken. Magnus, we'll get you a therapist. Catarina works in a hospital, I'm sure theres a warlock out there working as a therapist somewhere."

"A therapist. Over 800 years of memories and traumas, and a therapist is going to fix it all?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that maybe talking to someone who isn't so close to the situation might help. I'm always here, and I'm always ready to talk if you need to, but maybe we need some unbiased help."

Magnus was quiet for a few minutes, and Alec almost thought he had drifted off to sleep, when he spoke up again.

"I'm sorry I ruined dinner. You made everything so nice, and it was gorgeous, but then I showed up and…"

Alec shushed him, not willing to let him go down that path.

"You didn't ruin anything. Maybe it just…wasn't the right time for us, yet."

Magnus turned to face him, a confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?"

Alec's thoughts instantly went to the ring that was tucked into his jacket pocket, flung over a chair in the corner.

"I just meant…Well, I was…" Alec stammered, before sighed and taking a breath. "I had planned for tonight to be something kind of…big. But you weren't in the right headspace, and that's okay. I'm not upset. It's not something that we can't do another time. We'll wait until you're happier, or not so stressed."

He hoped Magnus would drop it, but he could see Magnus's mind racing and when his eyes suddenly widened, Alec knew he had revealed too much.

"Alexander…what do you by big?"

Alec hesitated and Magnus covered his mouth with his hand.

"Please tell me I didn't just mess up what I think I did."

"You didn't mess up anything! It's okay, I just-"

"You were so nervous!" Magnus gasped. "This morning, you were so nervous! I thought it was just stress! And the dinner, and the roses and everything was so beautiful!"

Magnus looked devastated, and Alec couldn't have that.

"Hey, it's okay. I understand. You didn't do anything wrong! It was-"

"Alexander," Magnus hissed. "I just ruined what I assume was supposed to be my own engagement. How is that nothing wrong?"

Magnus was waiting for an answer but Alec was dazed. After a few seconds of silence, Magnus looked over to Alec with a worried look.

"Alec?"

"Does that mean you would have said yes?"

Magnus's face softened.

"Alexander, I-"

"You said your engagement. As in you'd be engaged. So if I asked…you'd say yes?"

Magnus stared him directly in the eyes, before he darted in and pressed their lips together.

"Of course I would."

Alec shot out of bed so quickly he stumbled and nearly face planted. Magnus let out a strained laugh as Alec started rummaging through his jacket pockets before he found what he was looking for. Magnus could see a black box in his hand, and when Alec's focus turned back to him, all he could hear was the sound of his heart pounding.

Alec took a deep breath before walking over to him. He opened his mouth to speak and Magnus scrambled up. He didn't want to be sitting in a bed for this.

"Magnus Bane," He started. "I know this isn't as fancy as you deserve, and I know that it might not be happening how either of us would have planned it. But, I love you. I will always love you. No matter how you look, or how powerful you are. And I don't ever want you to be alone, and I never want to be alone again. I've already told you that I can't live without you. So," Alec swallowed nervously and bent down to one knee, opening the box to display the lightwood family ring. "Will you marry me?"

Magnus once again had tears running down his face, but this time they were accompanied by a huge grin.

"Yes. Yes, of course!" Magnus held his hand out, and Alec gently slid the ring onto his finger. Magnus couldn't wait another second and almost tackled him, both laughing as they fell onto the bed. 

Alec sprinkled kisses around his face and Magnus let out slightly hysterical giggles.

"Oh my god!" Magnus pulled away suddenly. "I just realized that I'm going to be a Lightwood! Magnus Lightwood sounds awful!"

Alec laughed and pulled him back in.

"How about Lightwood-Bane?"

Magnus pretended to think for a few seconds before smiling.

"I think I could deal with that."

Things were still a mess. Magnus still needed help to get used to life as a mundane, at least until they could figure out a safe way to get his magic back. And they would still need to talk about everything that had been said tonight. For now though, they pushed those talks to a back burner and when they finally fell asleep, Magnus didn't dream about losing him magic again.

Instead he dreamt of their future.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to scream about your Malec feels with me in the comments, or leave me a kudos to tell me you liked it!


End file.
